Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Machadu Mamangam (Thiruvanikkavu Kuthira Vela)

Machadu mamangam,a celebration with out caparisoned elephants, otherwise known as Thiruvanikkavu Kuthira Vela , is celebrated on the first day of the Malayalam month, Kumbham (February) of every year at a place known as Machad, 25 kms away from the Thrissur City.

The traditional rituals and customs that has been followed since 800 years, is conducted by five Desams in and around Machad.The 5 main participants (desams) of the festival are Thekkumkara, Karumatra, Punnamparambu, Panangattukara and Manalithara .

Each day is dedicated to each desam and the fifth day, is the grand finale of the festival, that is , the Pooram day.The commencement of the festival is with Parayedupu, followed by the Velichapad (representative of the Goddess ) receiving the offerings and gives blessings on behalf of the Goddess, Thiruvanikavilamma.

On the Pooram Day, people from 5 Desams come to the temple with huge dummy horses made of Bamboo, decorated with silk clothes and dazzling ornaments known as Kumbhakudam performs Kuthirakali,a spectacular dance,that thrills the mammoth gathering at the very scorching hot day of February. Unlike other festival that uses drums, Kombu and Kuzhal is the only traditional musical instruments that is used to accompany the procession of Maachad Mamangam.

Another ritualistic performance associated with Kuthirakali is the Harijan Vela ( folk art forms like Poothan, Thira, Aandi ,Nayaadi), performed by lower caste people of the Desams.
Finally demolition of the stage is done by throwing the dummy horses on it by the youth and the festival is ended by Pavakooth (puppet play) for 7 consecutive days along with Kalampattu.